How a Prime Minister Works.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 6, 4 September 1914, Page 3

How a Prime Minister Works.

f The Right HOll. Joseph Cook r P. C. receives the pride of pla.ee 1 among the contributors to the 1 August number of “ Life," just ' to hand. M r Cook tells how a Prime Minister conducts * his daily round —with its multifarious duties and its scant pleasures. We learn that ever since he was the secretary of a Coal Miner’s Union he has been an early riser, and in fitting himself for liis political career he used to make a practice of getting up at half-past four every morning to study. This habit is still regularly, though not so strenuously observed, and in conducting the business of the Prime Minister’s office, Mr Cook undertakes a great deal more labour personally than is actually demanded by the position. For example, Mr Cook insists on opening and reading every letter which is addressed to him, and a great portion ol his morning is taken up with dictating to a shorthand clerk the answers to those letters which are in any way personal. But, in addition to the work of his own department, Mr Cook, as Prime Minister, takes a very active interest in that of his colleagues’ departments. He has to be the guide, mentor and friend of each minister, and it is his responsibility whether the £20,000,000, which the Commonwealth annually expends, is spent wisely and well or otherwise. Other interesting articles in this number of “ Life ” are: “Paddling It Through Africa, ” the last of a series of articles describing the adventures of a young Australian trader-hunter in the Congoland and the Zambesi; “ A Cannibal Fight in Papua, ” in which P. N. Charpentier describes a remarkable battle between two fleets of canoes manned by cannibals, the writer claiming to be the only white man who has ever seen such a fight. Dr Fitchett writes a slashing review of Mr H. G. Weils’ latest, book, “A World Set Free,” and, in addition, deals with Home Rule, the Mexican situation, and current Australasian affairs in his usual trenchant style. The August issue of “ Life ” is certainly fine value for sixpence.